Folic acid is the synthetic form of the B vitamin folate, most often used in dietary supplements due to its greater bioavailability.
Vitamin B9
Recently Answered
-
6 AnswersA
See All 6 AnswersFolic acid is important in pregnancy because it helps with the developing nervous system of the fetus. Most pregnant women should get at least 1mg of folic acid daily. However, women who have had a pregnancy in the past which had neural tube defects should take at least 4mg of folic acid daily during pregnancy. -
1 AnswerA
There are two major benefits of folic acid during pregnancy. First, folic acid helps the body produce the extra blood volume the body needs during pregnancy. Secondly, folic acid plays a role in the prevention of neural tube defects, specifically spina bifida and anencephaly, in the developing embryo/fetus.
-
1 AnswerA
Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredBy consistently taking 800 micrograms (mcg) of folate a day, you can make your RealAge (physiologic age) 1.2 years younger in just three months, and probably 3.7 years younger in three years. (Although most individuals really need 400 to 800 mcg for the antiaging effect in the arteries, you need 800 mcg for the anticancer effect, so I have simplified the information by just using 800 mcg throughout. We know of no toxicity at any dose of folate, so taking 800 mcg appears to be very safe.) If you already have elevated levels of homocysteine (an amino acid by-product of the metabolism of protein), you can make your RealAge three or more years younger in just three months. (Other names for folate are folicin, folic acid, and vitamin B9.)
Elevated homocysteine levels (18 micromoles per liter of blood-?mol/l-and higher) double the risk of heart attack, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and impotence. More than 42% of people with cerebral vascular disease, 30% of those with cardiovascular disease, and 28% of those with peripheral vascular disease have homocysteine levels that are too high. And even levels above 12 seem to increase inflammation in your blood vessels. Taking 800 micrograms (mcg) of folate a day in supplements, or 1,400 mcg through your diet, can reduce homocysteine levels dramatically, essentially removing any excess homocysteine from your bloodstream and stopping the aging effects. It's a quick, easy, and painless way to make your arteries younger. -
1 AnswerA
Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredOne study estimated that if everyone had proper levels of folate, the number of heart attacks in the United States could be reduced by 40,000 to 150,000 a year. In fact, these numbers may actually be too conservative! Statistics from risk-factor studies predict that a more realistic estimate would be a reduction of one third in the rate of heart attacks and strokes in the United States every year. In other words, perhaps every year as many as 450,000 heart attacks and 170,000 strokes occur because we don't get enough folate.
-
1 AnswerA
Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredThere isn't enough evidence to know whether taking extra folic acid (the synthetic form of the B vitamin folate) will lower your risk of colon cancer. Researchers have found that people with higher blood levels of folate have lower risk of the disease, which is a leading cause of death in the US -- but that doesn't necessarily mean that supplementing with folic acid will protect you.
Several major studies have compared people who take extra folic acid with those who don't, and have had mixed results: Some found that people taking supplements were less likely to die of colon cancer, but others concluded the pills had no effect.
One trial of over a thousand people with a history of colon polyps (which can turn into cancer) found that folic acid pills were no better than sugar pills at preventing more polyps from forming. In fact, colon cancer risk increased among people taking folic acid supplements.
There are many good reasons to be sure you get enough folate in food, or folic acid in fortified food and supplements. But, for now, preventing colon cancer isn't one of them. -
2 AnswersA
Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 2 AnswersOne of the most important B-complex vitamins, folate is found in lots of foods, like spinach, tomatoes, and orange juice. And many foods are supplemented with it, like bread and cereal. But our bodies don't absorb folate from food as well as we can absorb folic acid (the synthetic form of folate) from supplements.
Also, when you consider that an 8-ounce glass of orange juice has 43 micrograms of folate, that would mean you'd have to drink about 25 8-ounce glasses of OJ a day to get the recommended amount. And when you consider that a slice of unsupplemented bread has only 6 micrograms of folate and spinach only has 2, you can see why supplements make more sense.
The average intake of folate through food is 275 to 375 micrograms, so you need a supplement of about 525 micrograms. This can have several health benefits, including helping to prevent cancer. -
3 AnswersA
Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 3 AnswersFolate (or folic acid, in its synthetic form) is part of the B-complex of vitamins, and is often prescribed for pregnant women because it's essential for the normal development of the brain and spinal cord of the fetus. But when mothers started taking folate to prevent spina bifida (a specific birth defect), we also saw a 60-percent reduction in childhood cancers. But folate is important for adults, too. If you don't get enough folate as an adult, that deficiency can lead to cancer.
In four studies, folate supplementation decreased colon cancer rates by 20 to 50 percent, but more than 50 percent of Americans don't even get the recommended amount-and 90 percent don't get the amount that seems best to reduce colon cancer (800 micrograms a day). -
4 AnswersA
Dr. Michael Roizen, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 4 AnswersYou should get 800 micrograms (beyond the 400 mcg in your prenatal vitamin) of folic acid a day; some women need extra supplementation because their bodies aren't able to convert it to the form that's needed for DNA production, and doctors may prescribe up to 4 mg.
-
3 AnswersA
RealAge answeredSee All 3 AnswersFolate -- also called folic acid -- is a B vitamin that protects against arterial aging, aids in the production of red blood cells and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and helps reduce levels of homocysteine (an amino acid that may raise your risk of heart disease).
Aim to get 700 micrograms (mcg) of folate per day. The average daily diet contains about 300 mcg, so choose a multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid to top off your daily dose. Pregnant women as well as people who have cancer, severe burns, or skin diseases may need extra folate to maintain healthy levels.
Don't exceed 1,000 mcg of folic acid per day -- too much could lead to nerve damage or vitamin B12 deficiency.